Giva Salutes: The Smith Family

At Giva we like to recognise organisations, big and small, that are working to improve the world around them, and we are happy to salute them here!

The Smith Family is an independent not for profit charity in Australia that helps disadvantaged children and their families by creating educational opportunities for them. The charity was started during the Christmas season in 1922 when five men returning from a business trip visited an orphanage to give the children presents. When asked who they were, each of the men responded "Smith" to remain anonymous in their donations, and The Smith Family was created.

The Smith Family has a long history of helping Australia's children in need. In the Depression-era 1930s, the organisation delivered food and clothing packages to disadvantaged families and also assisted in the creation of hospitals and orphanages. During the 1950s, The Smith Family grew when dedicated people volunteered to be "Joy Spreaders" and show the positive spirit of the charity throughout Australia. And in the 1970s, volunteers participated in programs to help refugees from Vietnam and Timor receive education and English lessons.

Today, The Smith Family still works to change the lives of Australian children by focusing on their need for education. The organisation's goal is to provide education to disadvantaged children, so that they will be able to create better futures for themselves and their families.

According to The Smith Family's website, more than 638,000 Australian children are currently living in jobless families and lack the support and opportunities to further their education. Through its Learning for Life learning support and mentoring programs, the charity helps these children to achieve their goals and receive the motivation, encouragement, and other essentials they need to be successful.

The Smith Family believes that education has the power to transform lives for the better, and their Learning for Life program allows children to receive an education by giving them financial and other support to do so. The organisation hopes to break the cycle of disadvantage and give as many Australian children as possible the opportunity to succeed. The Giva Team is pleased to salute The Smith Family for all that they do.